1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for effecting the orderly storage of a plurality of compact discs by utilizing one or more trays that each contain at least one set of stackable disc holders that define receiving formations for receiving and releasably retaining compact discs. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of stackable compact disc holders carried in stackable trays, with each tray containing at least one set of stackable disc holders therein, and with each tray and its disc holders cooperatively defining interactive guide formations 1) for permitting the disc holders to be moved relative to each other so that compact discs can be inserted into and selectively removed from the disc receiving formations, and 2) for facilitating the orderly stacking of the disc holders within their associated trays.
2. Prior Art
A compact disc (commonly referred to as a "CD") is a recording medium from which recorded information can be read out or "played" by means of a laser beam. Each CD typically is formed as a disk-shaped plastic member having opposed, parallel side surfaces. One of the side surfaces contains a substantially continuous, generally helical groove or "record track," the configuration of which represents a sequence of digitally recorded data, with the data being encoded by utilizing minute variations in track cross-section. The "reading" or "playing" of a CD recording, or of selected portions thereof, is effected by directing a beam of laser light onto a small, selected portion of the record track while the disc is being rotated about the center axis of its "hub" hole to effectively move the laser beam along the record track, and by detecting and interpreting resulting reflections of the beam.
While CDs of various sizes and formats have been proposed, one "standard" has come to be quite widely accepted. This standard utilizes a plastic disc having a thickness of about 1.25 mm, a central diameter "hub" hole of about 15 mm, and an outer diameter of about 120 mm. The hub hole is used to center the disc for rotation, and the record track spirals helically inwardly from near the outer periphery of the disc toward the hub hole. By virtue of being among the first, this particular "standard" has gained wide initial acceptance, has become predominate in the CD marketplace of present day, and is expected to remain in wide use during years to come.
The CD "standard" described above was brought into existence principally for the purpose of providing a highly accurate means of recording and replaying audible subject matter such as voice and/or music. However, the same CD "standard" is rapidly gaining acceptance as a medium of choice for digitally recording a wide variety of information including visible subject matter such as photographs, sequential sets of video images and the like, and other forms of digitally recorded subject matter including programs and data that are meaningful to computers and so-called "multi-media" equipment. Some refer to CDs of this type that are used with computers by the term "CD-ROM," wherein "ROM" is an acronym for the term "read-only memory."
The computer-related uses being made of CDs that conform to the "standard" described above is increasing quite dramatically, especially in conjunction with multi-media systems, for a CD provides an excellent medium for digitally recording audio, video, programs, data and other forms of information, all of which can be utilized during the operation of multi-media equipment. Moreover, inasmuch as portions of the record track of a CD can be selectively "read" or "played back" as needed by multi-media computer equipment, the versatile uses to which CDs can be put in conjunction with the operation of multi-media systems is expected to dramatically increase the use that is made of CDs to an extent that is far beyond the scope of the use that would be made of this recording medium if it were utilized merely as a replacement for phonograph records for recording and playing voice and/or music.
An advantage that the use of CDs brings to computers is that the amount of program and data information that can be stored on a CD is substantially greater than that which can be stored on so-called "high density floppy diskettes" that are in present-day use. While a typical 3.5 inch high density diskette holds less than 1.5 mb of data, a typical CD can hold 600 mb of data, if not more. Thus, a single CD can be used in place of a relatively large number of computer diskettes to contain sizable computer programs and sizable banks of data, etc.
As CDs are increasingly coming into use both as a means for distributing computer programs and data, and as a means for providing information of a variety of types to multi-media capable computer equipment, the number of CDs that computer users have a need to store in a highly organized manner is increasing quite dramatically. Moreover, inasmuch as CDs that contain computer programs and data tend to be quite expensively priced and often are quite difficult to replace, a great deal of importance has come to be associated with the provision of a well organized, expansible, easy-to-use system for facilitating the storage and retrieval of CDs.
While a wide variety of proposals for storing CDs have been put forth, a number of drawbacks have been noted. Few proposals provide solid but lightweight tray-shaped structures that each carry stackable, relatively movable disc holders that permit a relatively large number of CDs to be securely, protectively stored while also permitting the stored CDs to be easily accessed and selectively removed, as needed. Few provide tray-shaped structures that can be stacked one atop another and/or individually supported to serve as drawer-like components of a multi-shelved piece of furniture. Few provide both tray-shaped structures and disc holders contained therein that each can be neatly labeled to facilitate the orderly storage and quick retrieval of CDs. Furthermore, few provide systems of tray-shaped structures containing disc holders that can have trays and/or disc holders that can have their storage capacities enhanced by simply adding identical trays and/or disc holders thereto as may be needed to systematically accommodate the steady acquisition of an increasing number of relatively expensive CDs--whereby substantially equally prompt access can be had to any CD that is stored by the system.
Just as the use that is made of CDs of the aforedescribed "standard" is expected to increase quite dramatically during coming years, there is expected to be a correspondingly significant increase in the degree of urgency that is associated with the yet unsatisfactorily answered need for the provision of a novel and improved system for facilitating the storage of CDs in a suitably organized fashion. Because the loss to a business that can be incurred if an important program-carrying or data-carrying CD has gone missing or cannot be located with ease can be so enormous and so detrimental, the importance of providing a high quality, easy-to-use CD storage and retrieval system that can be expanded as needed to consistently provide ready access to CDs that are securely, protectively stored in an organized manner when not in use is coming to pose a very serious need indeed.